Solitary Life
by CurbItKirby
Summary: THE END!VERSE. We all know Cas has fallen, but one woman still thinks him a hero. Cas/OC -oneshot- Beta Read by: Wolfpack Pride


**((Author's Note: I would just like to thank my amazing beta: Wolfpack Pride, for her amazing work. Thanks, WP!))**

Dean stared wide eyed as he… his clone… future Dean left him, handcuffed to a ladder.

"What, you're just gonna leave me here?"

"Yep."

The door closed behind him and Dean let out a grunt of discontent. "Great. Just great." Sighing, he looked around for something to pick the lock with, but found the room dry of anything useful. That is, until his eyes landed on a nail sticking up just a tad higher than its brothers in the floorboards.

The man from the past spent the better half of five hours digging the pin out and had just about had it, too, when the door opened. He quickly sat and tried to look innocent as a pair of beat up cowboy boots came into sight. He frowned. He never wore cowboy boots…

"Hey, bossman?"

And he most certainly did not have a voice that high. He followed the boots up to a pair of green army pants, to a military jacket to a pair of breasts-concealed by a white t-shirt of course.

The woman snickered and moved to stand in front of him. "Well, well, well." She crossed her arms over those lovely mammary glands, a mischievous grin on her face. "Who got the drop on ya this time?"

"What?"

She scoffed and dropped down next to him. "Come on, who was it?" She gave the cuffs a tug. "Who'd ya piss off now? Risa?" The brunette nodded, her long dark hair falling over her eyes, "I bet it was."

"Uh, yeah. It was Risa. Wanna help me out here?" Dean swallowed. This could either be very good or very bad. This chick would eventually figure out something was up. He dropped his eyes to her chest again. When he looked back up, she was smirking at him.

Scoffing, she answered him dryly. "Yeah, probably should." Her bright eyes were still mocking him as she reached into her pocket for a bobby pin. "Chuck's been looking for ya, something 'bout rations, I dunno."

Dean blinked at her. "Where's that accent from?"

"God, boss, we've been over this a thousand times." The stranger began jiggling the pin in the lock of the cuffs. She shot him a crooked smile. "America ain't the only country on the map, cupcake. Say it. Can. A. Da."

"Canada?" He repeated. "How'd a Canuck get all the way down here?"

Her blue eyes rolled skyward, and Dean got the feeling this conversation had played out many'a time for her. Maybe not just with him personally, but certainly with the others. He snickered.

"It's called duel citizenship." A click. The cuffs fell off and the woman stood. She shook her head. "Next time, don't piss her off. I might not always be around to save your sorry ass… sir."

Dean nodded and followed her out of the cabin. He rubbed his wrist absently and smirked at her. "Thanks."

The woman stopped. Her body stiffened and she slowly turned to face him. Her gaze was sharper than it had been, her pink lips pursed. He frowned at her. "What?"

She shook her head, a forced smile raising on her face. "Nothing. I… nothing."

That was just too freaky. Dean, acting civil? No wonder the world was ending. With a smirk, she carried on out the door.

"Dean! Hey, Dean!" The pair looked over the rail of the cabin as a familiar, scruffy man ran up to it. He smiled at the woman as she waved at him, "Hey, Stell."

"Sup, Chuck?" She clapped a hand down on his shoulder as he blushed. "How's it hangin'?"

"Good…" He rubbed the back of his neck embarrassed, when Stella kissed his scruffy cheek. "Cas was looking for you."

The woman rolled her eyes. "Isn't he always?"

"Wait," Dean held his hand up, looking between them doubtfully, "You know Cas?"

They squinted at him before sharing a glance. Chuck cleared his throat awkwardly, his bright eyes going down to the page in front of him. "So, ugh, we're running low on rations and I was just wondering-"

"You son of a bitch!"

Dean jumped as a feisty, sexy woman came at him. Confused and more than a little alarmed, he was quick to hid behind Chuck and use him as a human shield. Stella watched curiously as Risa went at him again.

"I thought you said we had a connection!"

"What?" Dean flinched back as she came at him again.

Chuck winced and looked to Stella for help. With a roll of her eyes she obliged. "Cool it, Ri. He's having kind of an off day, thanks to you know…"

"What? Was she bad last night, huh? Was Jane not what you expected?" She shot out again at him one last time before storming off.

Stella blinked and turned to look at Dean. "You spent the night in Jane's cabin?"

"I dunno," He looked at Chuck, "Did I?"

The man nodded feverishly. Dean let him go. "Oh thank you." Chuck breathed.

The dark haired woman let out a hum and turned away from them. Her pace was brisk, and Dean had trouble keeping up as the prophet called after him about ration shortages and toilet paper.

"Hey, hold up!"

He grabbed her arm and tossed her up against one of the cabins. When she went to scream, he clamped a hand over her mouth. "Okay, okay, calm down, Stella… calm down! Are you- ah!"

Dean flinched back as she bit him. Her blue eyes sharpened at him, but she didn't shout out for help. Instead, she chose to just push him off her. "Don't tell me to calm down. You lied to me! Not to mention," She held her finger up, then jabbed him in the chest with it, "You do not ever pin me down, Deanie, boy! Cas's little boyfriend or not, I will cut you like a bitch if you do that again!"

There was a moment of silence as she panted. After a moment, some of the colour drained from her face and she seemed to settle down. One deep breathe later, she was ready to apologize. "I'm sorry I yelled at you, but you know I don't like that." She shuddered and held herself, "And I'm sorry for biting you. We have a contagion going around. It was childish…" Her eyes brighten slightly, "Fun though."

"Well, thanks." He frowned at her and wiped his hand on his jeans. "You know where Cas is?"

"Yeah."

"Can you take me to him?"

Bright blue eyes regarded him with caution. "Are you feeling okay? I mean, it's not like you to forget a woman… much less blow off Chuck or forget about Cas…"

"I'm fine. Trust me." Dean put his hands on her shoulders and gave them a squeeze. "Please."

Stella smirked. "Fine;" she winked at him and clapped him on the arm. "But only 'cause I like ya better this way."

"Thanks." The pair stepped away from the barn and he looked around to see if anyone had noticed their little display of immaturity. No one had. The man from the past cleared his throat. "So, you and Cas are tight, huh? How'd you put up with that stick up his ass?"

Stella stared at him. A quiet chuckle rose in her throat, and it soon became a hysterical fit of laughter. She bent over with tears rolling down her face, and it was all she could do to keep from wetting herself as she looked up at Dean's bewildered face. She pointed weakly at it.

"Uh… you okay?"

"Sti- stick?" She swallowed and snickered one last time. Her smile was bright, and surprisingly sweet. "What stick? I mean, I love the guy but, come on, stick up his ass? Seriously?"

He tilted his head and she motioned for him to follow. They went up a pair of steps, and before he could pass through a beaded doorway, she stopped him. "You are in for a show, my oddly acting friend." She shoved him through the beads and turned to leave.

"You're not coming?" Dean asked, pointing his head out.

Her eyes dropped. So did her smile. "No." She swallowed, and told him, "I don't like the show."

Intrigued, the man stepped back in to the cabin. His eyes drifted to the small group of women on the floor, all paying devote attention to Cas-Castiel? This man was in no way the Castiel he'd come to know. The tight laced, stoic angel was now a teal pants wearing, bed head having, metaphor spouting-

"The key to this total, shared perception is um, surprisingly physical." He raised his gaze to Dean's and winked at him. "Excuse me ladies, I believe I need to confer with our fearless leader for a minute. Why not go wash up for the orgy?"

_ORGY_? Dean's attention snapped to the man. The throve of women past by without a word as Castiel continued to praise them. Then the obviously fallen angel stood to crack his back.

"What're you some kind'a hippie now?"

Castiel rolled his eyes and his neck. "I thought you were over trying to label me…"

"Cas, we gotta-"

"Wow. Strange…" He felt his eyes widen as he turn and took in his friend.

Dean looked at him in fear. God, what happened to him now? Had Zachariah cursed him with a third eye or something? "What?" He asked anxiously.

"You, are not you, not _now_-you anyway."

"No! Yes, exactly-" Dean nodded and looked behind him towards the door. "I'm from 2009. Zachariah sent me here-"

"Interesting." Castiel said pensively. A finger rose to his chin and he tapped it absently.

"Oh, yeah," His human companion said sarcastically, "It's freakin' fascinating! Your little girlfriend seemed to think it was hysterical!" He raised his hand, showing the dark indents of teeth, "You need to have a little talk with her about using her words!"

"Stella does not take kindly to physical contact, I'm afraid…" His smirk widened. "Especially from, uh… you. At least as of late."

Dean scoffed, "Yeah, I picked up on that. Now, come on, Cas, strap on your angel wings and get me outta here."

The hippie let out a snort of laughter. "I wish I could, uh, just strap on my wings, but uh, I'm sorry, no dice." He snickered again and went to leave his cabin. "Angel wings."

Just outside his door, the ladies waited. He waved to them with a few quiet words as Dean went right past them. He turned the corner and waited for his friend to explain himself. As he did, a familiar brunette passed by him, a frown on her thin pink lips. She would've walked right past him if he hadn't grabbed her by the arm.

"Wow, hold up, little lady!" Dean smiled at her. "You okay?"

She sighed. A beginning of a headache was pressing at the back of her eyes. They were all too common among members of the camp, too much stress and too little chance for release. Except of course, physical ones. She never was much into those, and with aspirin no where in sight, Stella was forced to deal with headaches the old fashioned way; ignoring them. She grunted with displeasure.

"We are officially running low on toilet paper and fresh food, not to mention thanks to Captain Happy over there," Stella jerked her head toward Castiel, "birth control-condoms and diaphragms at least."

"I'll talk to him about it." The man chuckled as she glared at him.

It softened and she let a delighted laugh slip past her lips. She nudged him with her elbow. She liked this Dean. Leaning back against the cabin with him, Stella cackled, "Damn right you will!"

He smirked at her. "So…what's up with Cas?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, is he like, stoned or something?"

She nodded, "Generally."

"What happened to him?"

Her smile fell and she sighed with a shrug. "Life, I guess. He's gotten worse over the years. With the booze and the women, I mean."

The man shot her a sympathetic glance. She seemed saddened by the idea, and the look on her delicate features told him this probably caused her more heartache than she was willing to admit. Instead of calling her on it, he smirked at her. "So, Cas says you're his girlfriend."

"I am not. Why does everyone say that?"

"Because you refuse to fornicate with me." Castiel told her, a smile on his lips as he approached them. He placed a dutiful kiss on the woman's cheek. "I hope you are well, Miss Kilter."

Stella rolled her eyes. "Don't get all uppity 'cause the boss is watchin', Cas." Raising a hand, she patted his coarse cheek. He grinned at her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

She allowed it for a moment, but only a moment. "Yeah, okay, Cas, don't get fresh."

"Come on, Stell, he just wants some'a that Canadian bacon." Dean winked at her, but felt a kind of dread as she met his gaze.

She asked, pointblank, "Are you calling me fat?"

The man felt the air grow cold around him. This was not happening. He had not really just been asked that. His green eyes went to Castiel's blue ones, but he was too busy playing with a lock of Stella's dark brown hair to notice. So he was forced to look back at the woman.

"No. You are not fat. You are perfect and if Future Me had any sense he would've bedded you a long time ago."

"Future You?" She repeated with a smirk. In truth, she had just wanted to watch her leader squirm. "You know 'Future You' is actually on his way back to camp, right?"

Castiel leaned his head on hers and slipped his hand into hers. He eyed them, noting the differences. Her fingers were slimmer, his longer. Her nails were clean. His had dirt under them. A smile rose to his lips when she gave them a soft squeeze.

Dean looked between the two of them with suspicion. She seemed pretty content with Cas so close by, for someone who disliked physical contact. He smirked at her, and it became even more smug as her almost pallor features flushed.

"Shut up." She snapped at him. "If you boys are going to see… Dean," Stella blinked, "I'll go find Risa and bring her back to his… your… the cabin."

Castiel smiled at her and pointed to his cheek. With a roll of her eyes, she tightly took his face in her hands and gave it a peck, much like she had done to Chuck earlier. Only Cas had the balls to try and turn his head to sneak one on the lips. Stella growled at him and stormed off. The former angel grinned wickedly at her retreating back before turning back to Dean. The man was gaping at him.

"What?"

"You- no wonder they're low on birth control! Keep it in your pants, Cas!"

_-/-/-_

Dean, or rather, the Dean that they were most accustom to, placed a gun on the table in front of them. There was a moment of silence. Stella was the only one who moved. She leaned over from across the table to look at its strange markings.

"So, that's it?" Risa asked. She gestured with one hand, not wanting to get to close to it, "That's The Colt?"

Stella frowned as Castiel put his feet on the table. She gave them a whap. He smirked at her and took a sip of his beer.

"That's it. If anything can kill Lucifer, this is it." Dean… RudeDean, Stella called him inwardly, said with confidence.

"Great! Do we got anything that can help _find_ Lucifer?"

The paler woman glanced over her shoulder to Risa. She really did feel for her. Risa had been after Dean from day one, head over heels for him… and he was fooling around with Jane. Stella sighed and made eye contact with Castiel. He smirked at her and made a kissing noise. "Stop that." She ordered. He did as he was told.

"Are you okay?" RudeDean asked, his eyes going from The Colt to Risa's tense form.

"Oh, apparently we," GoodDean, as Stella referred to the new man as, pointed from himself, to Risa, to RudeDean, "were in Jane's cabin last night and me and Risa, have a connection."

"You wanna shut up?"

"Nice." Stella snickered to herself, as did Castiel. They shared at look of mirth before going back to paying attention. The woman leaned back in her chair as RudeDean explained just how they have received the devil's whereabouts.

Castiel all but spelled it out for them, "Our fearless leader, I'm afraid, is all too schooled in getting to the truth."

Stella blinked unsurprised, but apparently, GoodDean was.

"Torture, we're back to torture now, is that it? That's good… classy."

When the former angel smiled, RudeDean shot him a look of disapproval. "What?" Castiel asked with exasperation, "I like past you."

RudeDean ignored this, and Stella sighed. She loved Castiel, she really did, but with the ache in her skull growing by the second, she wished he would keep his smartass comments to himself.

"Lucifer is here." He placed a map on the table, and tapped a circled area. Everyone one moved closer to it. "I know the block and I know the building."

"Oh good! Right in the middle of a hot zone." Cas pointed out, needlessly.

Stella frowned. "This can't be right…" She pulled the map towards her. "We can just run in to a hot zone! We don't have enough ammunition to-"

RudeDean's green eyes bore down at her with a confrontational glare. "Are you saying my plan is reckless?"

"Are you saying we, uh, walk through the front doors and right into all the demons and Croates and shot the devil?" Castiel shot back. Stella gave him a weak smile for defending her, but knew it was pointless. They'd end up going with RudeDean no matter what. If Dean went, Cas went. If Cas went, Stella went.

"Yes."

The angel nodded, "Okay then. If you don't like, uh, reckless, I could use insouciant maybe."

The woman across from him rolled her eyes. This was not helping her headache. "Are you coming?" RudeDean asked, in no mood for games.

Inwardly, Stella pleaded for him to refuse, to say no and try to talk some sense into him. But her hero was gone now, replaced by a sad, fallen man with nothing to live for. So his almost instant, "Of course," didn't surprise her; although it did make her heart drop into her stomach. When he met her eyes, Castiel shrugged and looked back at Dean.

"But why is he going?" The angel asked, a quirked brow as he nodded toward GoodDean. "I mean, he's you, five years ago. If anything happens to him, you're gone."

RudeDean was quick to tell them all that GoodDean, was coming. Castiel motioned with his hand and the girls followed him out as they were charged with the duty of loading the truck.

"Hey, Reese, be a doll, and go find Chuck, will ya?" Cas asked her, taking Stella by the arm and pulling her aside before Risa could object. He took the brunette over to the side of the cabin and kept his voice low. "You're not coming."

Stella chuckled. "Yeah, right."

"I mean, it Estella." He cupped her face in his hands. Castiel's pale blue eyes bore down into her own and the look on his face was startlingly sober. "Don't go."

Her smiled dwindled and she smirked at him. "Anywhere you go, I'll follow, Castiel."

He shook his head sternly. "Not this time."

"Every time." The woman quipped. "You can't talk me out of it. I'm going, Cas."

"Please." The angel whispered, stroking her cheek with a soft caress. "I can't watch you die, Stell."

"Likewise."

"Damn it, Estel-"

His voice caught in his throat as her lips pressed against his own. His eyes fluttered closed and his hand slipped from her cheek to cup the back of her neck as she pressed herself against him. A chill ran down his spine. She was so warm… gentle. It was a nice change from the raunchy passion he'd grown used to. Her fingers weaved into his hair and she gave his bottom lip a nip before pulling away. He leaned in for a second, but she stopped him. Her hand on his chest, he covered it with his own. Their gaze dropped to their entwined fingers as she spoke in a quiet tone.

"Don't get used to that, Castiel. Angel of Thursday," She recited with a weak smile.

"I'm not an angel anymore, Stella."

"You are to me." She winced at her own needless cheesiness, but went on regardless. "I owe you my life, Cas."

His blue eyes shone down at her, and with one last peck on her cheek, he submitted. "Fine, but if I say fall back…for God's sakes, Estella _run_."

"Okay."

They both knew she was lying. Her hand fell from his chest, and they went back to the camp, fingers entwined.

_-/Halfway through the ride/-_

"So…" Dean, from 2009, glanced over at Castiel. It was strange that he was driving and downright creepy how happy he looked, considering what they were facing, considering they about to try and kill the devil. Green eyes went from the man to the woman who was asleep against the angel's shoulder. "What's up with you and Miss Kilter?"

"Nothing."

"Come on. This is me, Cas, not… not DoucheDean."

The driver snickered. "Yeah, I know." His blue eyes drifted from the road to look at him. "Me and Stell," He shrugged, but the woman remained undisturbed. "It's complicated."

Dean turned his body toward him. "She ever join in any of those orgies?"

"Nah. Stella's all class." Castiel rested his head against hers. "She thinks I saved her life."

"Thinks?"

"I didn't. It was… it was a fluke. I was stoned out of my mind, all I heard was screaming. I just reacted." The angel swallowed, the bitter taste of the amphetamine still lingering on his palate. "She fell in love with me on a lie, and I haven't corrected it."

Dean's brow furrowed. "What happened?"

"She was attacked. A Croate had gotten into the camp and was trying to drag her out. I stabbed him in the throat." He let out a hoarse laugh. "I didn't even know if he was real… then the blood hit me and I sobered up pretty quick."

"And she thinks…"

"That I heard her screaming and came running out of my cabin to play hero." Castiel smiled stoically. His eyes dropped to the pale brunette. "She could've died. I wasn't trying to save her; I was trying to shut her up. I didn't even see her on the ground."

Dean blinked, his lips pursed. "Why not tell her?"

"You know how I told you I broke my foot last year?" Castiel watched the man nod, "Guess who take care of me. She helped me get out of the cabin, fed me, cared for me. None of the others did that for me. Not even you. I need her, Dean."

"Cas…"

"I need a reason to care." The angel, former angel, swallowed then licked his lips. "She's all I got going for me. She, uh, wants to be around me, tries to understand me. She _doesn't_ but she tries." Noticing the small smile on his friend's face, he asked, "What?"

"Sounds nice." Dean speculated. "So, why did you let her come?"

"She wouldn't let me come alone."

The man next to him chuckled. "Wow. Whipped without the benefit of pussy. Sad, Cas…" He shook his head. "But I'm happy for you. You love her?"

"I don't know. It's hard to label it. I care for her. I worry about her… compulsively, and then there's the physical attraction…" His voice trailed off. "I know I do. It's just complicated."

"Hm."

Day soon broke over the horizon. Estella woke, righted herself and apologized to Castiel. He shrugged it off and planted a kiss on her cheek. He nuzzled his nose against hers. "We could die you know…"

Knowing what he was getting at, she smirked wickedly. "Yes we could. How about this… make it out alive, and I'll join in on one of those group therapy sessions ya have going."

Castiel smirked and shook his head. "I want you all to myself, Stell."

"I think I could swing that." She told him. A hand cupped his cheek and she kissed him chastely. "Promise me you'll keep a clear head about all this."

He chuckled humorlessly. "I can't remember the last time I had a clear head."

"Then promise me you'll be careful."

"I promise." Castiel pulled back and helped her out of the truck. They went around to the back and got out their guns and ammo. He put a hand on her cheek. "Stay close, okay?"

She nodded and took his hand briefly. As they approached the building, her hand fell to her side. The couple stared at each other for one last moment before giving RudeDean their undivided attention.

"There, second story window, we go in there."

Risa was the first to voice her doubts. "You sure about this?"

"They'll never see us comin'," RudeDean argued, "Trust me. Weapons check."

GoodDean dragged his future self away from the group. The trio did as they were told with the two women checking their rifles and Castiel checking his hand gun. If he had to, if things got too hot… he wouldn't let his Estella suffer. Her death would be short and painless, even if it had to come by his hand. He glanced at her, but she was focused on her gun.

"Stell."

She glanced up at him, blue eyes wide and curious. "Yeah?"

Castiel licked his lips, "I… stay safe, okay?"

"Ditto." Stella winked at him and stood as their leader came back. Alone. "Where's-"

"Goin' around the back." He interrupted. He looked between them, "You ready?"

The troop nodded, and led by Castiel, they entered the building. For a while, things were actually in their favor. Then Risa's gun jammed. Then Stella ran out of ammo.

Then Castiel was shot. The bullet ripped through his chest, and he could feel the blood filling his lungs before he hit the ground. He heard her scream and she dropped to her knees and pressed her hands to the gaping wound.

"Oh, God, Cas… it's fine, you're gonna be fine…"

Stella didn't notice the Croate coming up behind her. Castiel opened his mouth to warn her, but the only thing that came from it was a gurgle of blood. The taste was awful, but not as bad as the shame he felt for dragging her in to this.

A few of her tears hit his face, and he put his hand over hers. Both were drenched in the red thick liquid. Her lips caught his a moment. His eyes felt so heavy… he couldn't keep them open.

"Cas? Castiel! Goddamn it, stay awake! Cas, Plea- ugh!"

His eyes fluttered shut and the last thing he felt was the warm splash of her blood hitting his face.


End file.
